Springfield’s mayor says he hasn’t found the votes needed to pass a one percent sales tax increase to fund infrastructure repair and maintenance, so he’s offering members of the City Council some alternatives.

The goal is to borrow $60 million in federal grant funds over 10 years and pay it off by raising sewer rates by 5 percent each year during that period. Houston says the average Springfield household would see monthly water rates tick up by roughly 50 cents each year during that period. Put another way, most families’ water bills would be about $5 higher 1o years from now – a total increase of 50 percent.

Mayor Houston said during a press conference Thursday (read Mayor’s full comments) that it’s not a matter of whether taxpayers will need to invest in roads, sidewalks and sewers -it’s a matter of when and how.

Alderman Cory Jobe on Thursday called the federal loan program “attractive”. Jobe had been trying to gather votes on the City Council for Houston’s full 1 percent sales tax increase. He says he now plans to work with fellow aldermen to reach a consensus on the new options within the next few weeks.

Details on the four ordinances filed Thursday are as follows:

1.) Ordinance 2013-124

½% sales tax increase to fund $86.6 million bond issue that will fund a 3 year program targeting worst streets, sidewalks, and storm sewers.

15 year pay off to match the average life of asphalt overlay, would allow overlay of 135 miles out of the 360 miles of asphalt streets in the city.